Pre-order
1
of
1
Dangerous Miracle
The Extraordinary History of Antibiotics – and How We’re Burning Through Them
Brief Description
Antibiotics: invented by microbes, mined by humans - and now we are running out. Discover their miraculous history and how we confront their uncertain future in this epic story of progress, power and exploitation. Riveting ... In combining the passion of Robert Macfarlane with the incisiveness...
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3500
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Pre-order
Releases
1st
December 2026
(Approx. Date)
Pre-order "Dangerous Miracle" now to secure your copy from our first shipment
Found a better price? Request a price match
Dangerous Miracle
$3500
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Latest News
The Team's Long Weekend Reading
With the long weekend upon us, the team is hopefully getting some time in the...
What Actually Makes a Jigsaw Puzzle Difficult?
Does more pieces always mean a harder puzzle? Not necessarily! After Dylan surprised me by...
A Court of Splintered Harmony: How to Get Your Copy on Release Day
A Court of Splintered Harmony is almost here, and we have some exciting news for...
The ACOTAR Countdown Is On, But We Need to Talk…
Last week, things started taking a dark turn. The excitement surrounding the release was suddenly...
Pick up a Graphic Novel for Halloween
Wanting something different for spooky season? Try a horror themed graphic novel! Lizzy has rounded...
See more
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Antibiotics: invented by microbes, mined by humans - and now we are running out. Discover their miraculous history and how we confront their uncertain future in this epic story of progress, power and exploitation.
Riveting ... In combining the passion of Robert Macfarlane with the incisiveness of Patrick Radden Keefe, Shaw has announced himself as a brilliant new voice in science writing - Rachel Clarke, Spectator
Antibiotics. Invented by microbes. Mined by humans.
The discovery of antibiotics is one of humanity's greatest achievements, saving millions of lives and changing the world forever.
But, unlike other drugs, each time we take antibiotics we use up a finite resource. And now we are running out.
This is the spellbinding story of how we learned to harness the fossil fuels of medicine - and an urgent call to adapt, so they can hold a place in our future.
This history of scientific discovery and corporate greed chronicles arguably the most significant technological advance of the 20th century ... A lively history and a stark warning - Sunday Times, Best Books of the Year
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781529967784
Publisher: Vintage Publishing
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 20 August 2026
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Vintage
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 23.0mm
Width: 130.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 246g
Pages: 352
About the Author
Liam Shaw is a biologist researching the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance. After a four-year Wellcome funded fellowship at the University of Oxford, he now leads a research group at the University of Bristol. His writing has appeared in the London Review of Books, Morning Star, and Private Eye. Dangerous Miracle is his first book.
Also by Liam Shaw
View all-
Dangerous Miracle
Antibiotics - one of humanity's greatest achievements, yet they were invented by bacteria. Dangerous Miracle is an epic narrative of scientific discovery and innovation, but also of the exploitation of the natural world in the pursuit of the 'fossil fuels' of medicine. Antibiotics - one of humanity's greatest achievements - but invented by microbes. An epic narrative of discovery and...Paperback$3200Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow
More from Science & Nature
View all-
What If? 10th Anniversary Edition
CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF THE MILLION-SELLING POP SCIENCE CLASSIC WITH A SPECIAL EDITION. THIS IS WHAT IF? . . . x10. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Nerd royalty' — BEN GOLDACRE 'Totally brilliant' — TIM HARFORD 'Required reading across the world' — NEW YORK TIMES From the creator of the wildly popular xkcd.com, experience hilarious and informative answers to important questions...Hardback$4200Elsewhere:$5000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Nuclear War
The Sunday Times bestselling non-fiction thriller that has to be read to be believed. Baillie Gifford shortlisted, a favourite of Steven Bartlett, with an average reader rating of 4.6, sure to be a mass-market hit. Up to now, no one outside of official circles has known exactly what would happen if a rogue state launched a nuclear missile at the...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Anxious Generation
A powerful argument for reclaiming childhood—and all human relationships—from the online world, from the influential social psychologist and international bestselling author. Jonathan Haidt has spent his career speaking truth and wisdom in some of the most difficult spaces—communities polarised by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the mental health emergency hitting teenagers today in many countries around...Paperback$2299Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Prisoners of Geography
Prisoners of Geography looks at the past, present, and future to offer crucial insights into one of the major factors that determine world history – because if you don’t know geography, you’ll never have the full picture. Originally published in 2015, this completely revised and updated edition brings it up to date with the events and trends of the past...Paperback$2899Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Ultra-Processed People
Launching the runaway bestseller with ambitions to be the biggest non-fiction paperback of the year IT'S NOT YOU. IT'S THE FOOD. "If you only read one diet or nutrition book in your life, make it this one" - Bee Wilson "You've got to get this book in your life . . . Completely compelling . . . Read a page...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Pokemon Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded 2024
The essential guide to all things Pokémon, this year’s Encyclopedia includes all of the details of Ash Ketchum’s battle to become Pokémon World Champion! The new updated and expanded final edition of the Pokémon Encyclopedia! Ash Ketchum’s journey to becoming a Pokémon Master, and winner of the Masters Eight World Championships, has come to an end. Travel through all 8...Hardback$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Kitchen Confidential
The classic bestseller from the star of Parts Unknown and No Reservations: 25th Anniversary edition, with a new introduction by Irvine Welsh. BEFORE THERE WAS THE BEAR, THERE WAS BOURDAIN. ‘Elizabeth David written by Quentin Tarantino’ — A.A. Gill ‘Fantastic: as lip-smackingly seductive as a bowl of fat chips and pungent aioli’ — Daily Telegraph After twenty-five years of sex,...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
That's not my... Zoo
A perfect introduction to zoo animals with eye-catching illustrations, touchy-feely patches and a noisy finale! Discover the fun of the zoo in this sound-book addition to the bestselling That's not my... series. Turn the pages to explore the zoo and meet a monkey, an elephant, a tiger and a parrot in this larger format touchy-feely book. Press the sound button...Board book$2200Elsewhere:$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Sapiens
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari is an extraordinary exploration of humanity's history from the dawn of our species to the present day. Harari delves into our evolution, offering insights into the cognitive revolutions that allowed Homo sapiens to rise above other animal species. Traversing through various stages of human development, he examines the Agricultural Revolution, the unification of humankind through...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Talk
A Harvard professor shows how we can become better talkers - and why effective conversation will help us all thrive. Conversation is at the heart of our relationships and decision-making, but the science behind our everyday interactions, and how to improve them, is little known. In Talk, Harvard Professor Alison Wood Brooks provides fascinating insights into the power of effective...Paperback$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Clean & Green
Simple swaps and innovative ideas for cleaning and maintaining your home that won't cost the Earth. Learn how easy it is to make simple swaps in your cleaning and tidying methods for a more eco-friendly home. This beautifully illustrated black and white guide with 101 hints and sustainable, natural cleaning tips and hacks will help you take small steps that...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
18% offThe Genetic Book of the Dead
From one of the world’s great science writers, a book that explores the deepest principles of evolutionary history. In this groundbreaking new approach to the evolution of all life, Richard Dawkins shows how the body, behaviour, and genes of every living creature can be read as a book – an archive of the worlds of its ancestors. A perfectly camouflaged...Hardback$4000Elsewhere:$5499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
Science & Nature lists from the team
Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!
